I had a first meeting with a new client recently, and when I asked him what he’s doing in his search, he was dialed in. In order, he mentioned reaching out to key decision-makers at target companies, connecting or reconnecting with colleagues and connections, and applying to positions. Boom! I actually responded with, “I’m not sure you need me!” However, what I didn’t hear was, “I’m posting regularly on LinkedIn.” That’s when I pushed back. Why? Because posting helps cast a wider net—and it helps you build credibility on LinkedIn. It makes you memorable, and in a job search, that’s exactly what we want.
LinkedIn has leveled the playing field for job seekers when it comes to reaching out to people, and I highly encourage using it for that purpose. But what about the whole social media aspect? This is where many job seekers are hesitant. “I’m not a social media person,” they say. I get it. Neither am I. I struggle to share something interesting on Facebook and Instagram once a week, and I certainly don’t document every aspect of my life. Yet I post on LinkedIn daily.
If that sounds even worse (“Every day?! I don’t want to post daily!”), the good news for you is that you don’t have to post daily to build credibility on LinkedIn. What you do need to do is be thoughtful, intentional, and authentic. When you bring that focus to the conversation, you’ll create a little magic on the platform.
The Psychological Reason to Engage on LinkedIn
My background is in marketing and sales, and brands understand this statement to be true:
We do business with people we know, like, and trust.
This philosophy is proven daily in the marketing world. Articles are written about it, and the concept is taught in classes and books on the subject.
Think about your favorite local restaurant. You may have seen an ad in a mailer or heard one on the local radio station, yet you didn’t go. Then your friends started talking about it, and you read their reviews online. You decided to give it a try because you knew the brand, you knew people who liked it, and you trusted those people’s recommendations. That’s marketing, baby.
By following this approach on LinkedIn (and across your job search), you’re marketing yourself the same way.
We get to know people through their showing up and being visible. With that in place, we start to like them, and once we see them following through, trust builds. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen.
Through thoughtful comments and consistent posts, people begin recognizing your name. Profile views increase. Your network grows. Recruiters start noticing you. Hiring managers understand how you add value. Those aspects compound like a high-rate interest account, paying you back with opportunities you may never have found through traditional apply-and-follow-up routes.
How This Approach Builds Credibility on LinkedIn
In addition to the know, like, trust phenomenon, there’s also the visibility-credibility link. And they work in partnership.
Visibility occurs when you show up. You:
- Add thoughtful comments on posts your network shares.
- Post anything yourself.
People start to see you and recognize your name. They get to know you.
Then, you start to get active. You post about:
- your job search
- your expertise area
- something that makes you “you”
Suddenly, people are liking you because you share about yourself—even if it’s topical interests and information. The tide turns to trust when you showcase your talents and expertise area. Now you’re creating credibility.
Credibility is crucial to your personal brand because that’s when referrals come.
People rarely put their own reputation on the line to give referrals to someone they just met (unless you’re really likable—or they’re in immediate need). Instead, they strive to develop a level of trust first. When they feel you’re credible, they’ll share a referral because a referral means they’re putting some of their own credibility on the line by endorsing you.
It’s powerful. But it takes a while to build.
Create a Plan of Action
Most of my clients are starting from scratch with commenting or posting on LinkedIn, and it can feel uncomfortable. It’s okay to take baby steps. All good things take time, right? And if you do one more thing today than you did yesterday, that’s one more thing—and something to celebrate.
Step 1: Comment Thoughtfully
When you log in to LinkedIn, make it a point to review your newsfeed. Look for people who are sharing posts of interest. Like, love, celebrate, or support that post with a simple click. If you feel inspired, say what caught your interest. This can be as simple as “awesome” and as complex as a short paragraph of your thoughts.
The goal is to be supportive and kind. Think of LinkedIn as an extension of your workplace. You need to guard your reputation here. Being argumentative won’t help with that.
Step 2: Post
After you’ve dipped your toe in the LinkedIn pool, as it were, it’s time to jump in with some posts. I’ll make it easy for you with my tried-and-true posting strategy. My ideal suggestion is to comment and post three times a week, and since I suggest three areas about which to post, it’s simply rinse and repeat. Post about:
- Your job search.
Be specific: “I’m currently looking for a position as. . ., and I’m targeting <these companies, industries>.” Share why you’d be great in these roles and what you offer. Ask for introductions to key people in target companies. Provide weekly updates about your search, focusing on the positives. (Save your bitching sessions about bad interviews for your friends.)
- Your expertise area.
This is where you highlight what you’re great at! A simple “did you know” post, sharing an article with your thoughts on the topic, and a poll are ideal ways to showcase what you do well. Think of it as educating your audience about yourself and your talents.
- Something personal.
LinkedIn is a social media platform; there’s no getting around that. Therefore, you want to be social! However, it’s not Facebook or Instagram, so you don’t want to get too personal. Think of it in the context of what you might share with your coworkers or at a networking event. This will typically include hobbies and interest, travel, what you did last weekend, and what you’re excited about that’s coming up. It could include a lot of things, but I do find that it’s easier to build a following when you “pick a lane.”
Pick a Lane: An Example
The minute you land on my LinkedIn profile, you know a few things about me:
- I’m in career services and support job seekers.
- I’m a health nut, including exercising regularly, hiking, and eating keto.
- I love Wonder Woman.
I say all this in my headline, and it repeats in my about section and the follow-up notes I send after I meet a new LinkedIn connection.
Hiking and Wonder Woman are also the “lane” in which I’ve chosen to share something personal.
When I talk to clients on a Zoom call—and even when I meet them in the real world—they rarely mention the blog I wrote or the video I shared. You know what they mention?
- The hike I took.
- My Wonder Woman collection.
- Something keto I baked over the weekend.
No, no one is hiring me because of the fun things I share, but they do make me personable and memorable. From that likability, I expand with my other posts to build trust and credibility, which leads to referrals. And sharing in this way can do the same for you.
Consistency Builds Credibility
I wish I could tell you that you can post for a week and that’s enough. But it’s not. You have to be consistent when your goal is to build credibility through LinkedIn comments and posts. That doesn’t have to mean daily posts. It means you find a schedule that works for you, and you stick to it.
Remember: If you do one more thing tomorrow than you did today, that’s one more thing.
So make the comment. Write the post. If you want to get wild and share a video or article, go for it! Just make sure you’re doing it regularly.
We humans have short attention spans, and we tend to remember what we saw most recently. If you’re not in the mix, you won’t be remembered.
This Strategy Works
If you’re thinking you can’t do this, I hear you. It can feel like a lot of work to do something outside of our comfort zone.
Let me just tell you: I have been using this approach to LinkedIn for years, and I have received two job offers—for jobs to which I never applied. I have also secured countless clients, many of whom just found me because of my posts. And I’ve watched job seekers dramatically increase profile views, recruiter outreach, and referrals simply because they employed a consistent LinkedIn approach.
This is not a trend. This is a proven strategy that has worked for countless people, and it can work for you too. All it takes is a little investment of time and thoughtfulness, and it can pay back dividends. I promise. Start with one comment. Then one post. Before long, you’ll discover that building credibility isn’t nearly as intimidating as it first seemed.
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I don’t give busy work; I deliver proven strategies. As Your Career Advocate, I guide and support you from initial application through salary negotiation. Learn more about my services.